This invention relates to a counting apparatus, and more particularly, to a counting apparatus including a drum counting mechanism and a step motor drive for driving the drum counting mechanism.
Counting apparatus are well known which are comprised of a preassembled counter mechanism and a preassembled step drive motor for the counter mechanism. Typically, the step motor includes a housing having a flange on it by which it is joined to the housing of the counter mechanism in order to connect the two components together. Typically, each of these two components, that is, the drum counting mechanism and the step motor, is produced and installed in its own housing, and typically, each housing comprises two parts which are joined together. Such construction requires the use of multiple parts, is of greater weight than is necessary and requires substantial manufacturing costs to first produce each component within its own housing and to then join the two housings together to form a completed unit. Also, the yoke of the step motor is made of plural elements, some of which are required to be inserted into each end of an opening in a support for the stator coil of the step motor.